A compromise may give Midland residents access to Little Lake Park trail this winter.
The matter was brought up by Coun. Bill Gordon at a recent council meeting, during which he asked if the trail that runs along the waterfront could be maintained to allow users to enjoy some winter recreation.
"I'm seeking council support on additional snow clearing required to open the Little Lake Park waterfront walking trail for recreational activity," he said. "While we find ourselves wandering into the grip of a red lockdown and more restriction on where people can go, there has yet to be restrictions on people just walking trails in park land.
"We have opened up Little Lake Park to vehicular traffic for the first time in decades, it would seem a little unrealistic to expect people to walk along the road as there are vehicles there."
Gordon said he wants trail plowed so people can walk their dogs, enjoy nature and 'breathe non-virus filled air' by getting out of their homes.
"That ability to enjoy Little Lake Park I would imagine would come at some expense, but I'd like to see this happen," he said. "I know a lot of residents would like to see this happen."
Coun. Cher Cunningham was also curious about the cost of such a move, as she'd heard similar requests for the trail behind Bayport Boulevard.
"With our current situation of having an extended set of sidewalks, there's a lot more to just clearing an extra piece," she said. "We have to treat it like a sidewalk with all of the risks, liabilities, and ice and danger. Can we just open up another trail, from a liability standpoint and from a snow blowing (across the lake) standpoint to make it safe?"
Andy Campbell, executive director of environment & infrastructure, had some answers and information for council.
"Right now, the town owns five sidewalk plows and we use four to do the work we do today," he said. "The fifth one is our spare for breakdowns and it's used fairly regularly because we do have breakdowns with our older equipment. Just this winter alone, we've added a new sidewalk out on Highway 93 that the county has added. That is taking about an extra three hours of clearing time."
The new bollards on King Street, added Campbell, have doubled the time to eight hours, owing partly due to the learning curve of working around the bollards.
He then directly addressed Coun. Gordon's comment.
"Under minimum maintenance standards under the province of Ontario, we're required to maintain every piece of sidewalk to the same standard," said Campbell. "We have 48 hours after a snow event to do that clearing. We can't pick a sidewalk and not give it the same treatment."
Coun. Jon Main said he understood the standards around sidewalk maintenance, but what about trails?
"What's the difference between pathways and sidewalks in terms of snow clearing?" he asked. "That's what we're trying to move towards since this is a recreational trail, as opposed to the high standards that would be applied to a sidewalk."
Main also asked if it was possible to plow the trail only for the shoulder months and not touch it in January and February.
Campbell said staff clears the Trans Canada Trail behind Aberdeen Boulevard, but not the entire width.
"If we're opening a sidewalk, we have to clear the minimum four feet," he said, adding currently the sidewalk at the King Street end of the park has a sign that warns residents the sidewalk is not maintained.
"I would think if council wishes to consider trails in Little Lake Park and Bayport, that would be a discussion for budget because we would have to get staff and a sidewalk plow, which is $150,000," Campbell offered.
Mayor Stewart Strathearn then offered a compromise.
"Penetanguishene is looking to make an agreement with the Georgian Bay Snowriders to have their waterfront trail groomed," he said. "We're (also) currently in talks with the same group for them to operate within the boundaries of the town and groom trails. It's conceivable that perhaps they'd run a groomer at the south side of Little Lake Park."
Campbell said it's all about liability if the Snowriders are asked for help.
"They groom a trail and their liability and insurance covers that," he said. "Certainly, if they groom it, then they might want snowmobiles on it and I don't know if people want snowmobiles in Little Lake Park and on Bayport Trail. I'm not sure how that would go."
Strathearn said this may not be the time for plowing, but it could be a good time to have that conversation with the Snowriders.
After Gordon's original motion was defeated, staff was asked to approach Georgian Bay Snowriders for talks around grooming part of the trail at Little Lake Park.
